“Industry Night” simply means–the comics industry and anything and everything related to it. So if you’re a fan, creator, wannabe creator, retailer–please join us for drinks, conversation, war stories and shmoozing. No one will be checking your Geek Cred at the door–anyone is welcome! It’s a great opportunity to hang out and meet some of Toronto’s comics creators.

Wanda Maximoff by Marco Rudy available as a print

AND!! Just found out–The Comic Book Lounge & Gallery will be launching a month-long gallery show of works byMARCO RUDY! Coming off a run of Swamp Thing, about to start a top-secret supercool project, Marco will be showing off his paintings, comic pages and (I think?) selling prints. Marco’s stuff is unbelievably gorgeous–I’m a huge huge fan. And, just for fun–ask him about some of the techniques he uses to produce his paintings and commissioned pieces! Let’s just say, Joe Kubert would be proud of him.

The artists will be available to do sketches, sign books or do sketches on the large collection of sketchcovers that The Lounge has in stock. Some will have their own prints available for sale as well.

Batman #0 sketch cover by Ty Templeton. There are blank sketch covers available for sale at The Lounge today.

The event is running 12-9pm, so stop by! (If you have any questions about upcoming classes at Comic Book Bootcamp, Ty can answer ’em, and will have fliers available.)

Christmas is RUINED. If only there was something to read with Batman in it, some time in May...

But just in case FREE COMICS aren’t enough for you ravenous T-Dot funny book fans–it’s also the weekend of The Toronto Comic Arts Festival, where the best of the indy creators gather together and just commit art all over the joint. Bring splash guards for all the flyin’ ink and paint.

According to the plans I’ve heard, there will be face painting for the kids, a mini artists alley, and obviously–free comics!! And word has it that Toronto Batman might make an appearance.

There, I hope that satisfies you folks for a day of comics fun. After that exhausting day is over, I’m going to put my feet up on the couch at the Comic Book Lounge…and…

WAIT! THERE’S MORE?!?!?

After the Free Comic Book Day events are over, starting at 8pm, I will be sitting talking with my guests about Canadians and the comics industry exploring the idea of “As Canadian as possible under the circumstances.” in a LIVE talk show.

The first person I thought of to be my first guest ever was Mark Askwith. I’ve known Mark for thirty years now? Wow–long enough that I’ve lost track. I met Mark back when he was manager of The Silver Snail comic shop. When Mark created the much-beloved and much-missed Prisoners of Gravity for TVO, I did the art for the opening sequence, and guested on it frequently. These days, Mark is a producer at Space: The Imagination Station, producing Inner Space. That’s only some of his comics cred–there’s so much more!

And we’ve got Will Pascoe, director of an upcoming documentary about the Golden Age of Canadian comics superheroes. And we’ve got Scott Chantler, the award winning creator of Two Generals and Towers of Treasure! Not enough for you? We’ve also got Ken Lashley–as he says in his bio “[he’s] worked for them all, Lucasfilm, lucas arts, Hasbro, Mattel, Dc comics, Marvel comics, Fox sports..etc..” In the midst of his many projects, he’s doing covers for DC Comics at the moment.

We’re planning for roughly an hour–but if we’re having too good a time, we might go longer. And the audience isn’t allowed to be shy, as we will be taking questions! (But keep your questions relevant to the conversation. No one gets to bring up our Mayor’s weight problems or the price of gas.).

When On the Couch’s inaugural episode is over, there will be an announcement of theJoe Shuster Award nominations. Then–

–an Industry Night Party to celebrate comics, Canadians, the Shuster Awards and anything else we can think of. We will make you ACHE with fun.

Come join us for some of, or all of the day–and the night! We’re excited about everything we have planned for Free Comic Book Day and for On the Couch with Ty Templeton. (This will be the first of hopefully many On the Couch episodes–unless there’s a death in the audience, or an armed rebellion, we’re coming back).